Book Title: Jaina Iconography
Author(s): B Bhattacharya
Publisher: Motilal Banarasidas

View full book text
Previous | Next

Page 132
________________ Taksiņis central idea of Goddess of learning. In other respects, Viditā or Vijaya with her colour of yellow, symbols of bow, arrow, snake and lotus or the vehicle or Gonasa seems to be a clear derivative of a form of Durga. The name of Vijayā, it is worth observing, retains the original name of her arche-type.1 Amkusa or Anantamati Amkusa of the Svetämbaras is to be canonically sculptured as scated on a lotus, and having four hands with a sword, noose, spear and goad. The Digambaras to whom this Yakṣini is known as Anantamati describe her as being carried by a swan and as holding in her hands a bow, arrow, fruit and l'arada.3 The name 'Amkuśā' appears to be derived from the Amkusa or goad, which the Yakṣiņi carries. In the same name, we find a Vidyadevi who also bears a goad. The name Anantamati originates very evidently from Anantanatha, the Jina and master, whom the Yakṣiņi waits upon. Brahma's wife is Sarasvati; here the origin of the swan as a vehicle might be due to this connection. Kandarpa (Pannagad vi) or Manasi Descriptions from the Svetambara books make her ride upon a horse or a fish and appear in sculpture with four hands, adorned with a lotus, goad, lotus and Abhaya. Manasi, the Cr. पष्टिदण्डोच्चतीर्थेशनता गोणसवाहना । ससर्प चापसर्पेषु वैरोटी हरितार्च्यते ॥ 1. 97 2. Pratisthasaroddhara. An inscribed image of her is in the "Paitini Temple" Uchnera State. अङ्कुशां देवीं गौरवर्णां पद्मवाहनां चतुर्भुजां खङ्गपाशयुक्तदक्षिणकरां चमफलाङ्कुशयुतवामहस्ताम् ॥ (Nirvanakulikā MSS, Jñana mandir, Agra). 3. तथानन्तमती देवी हेमवर्णा चतुर्भुजा । चापं बाणं फलं धत्ते वरदा हंसवाहना ।। Pratisthāsārasamg raha (MSS, Arrah, Jaina S. Bhavan). Cr. हेमाभा हंसगा चापफलबाणवरोद्यता । पञ्चाशच्चापतुङ्गार्हद्भक्तानन्तमतीज्यते ॥ Pratisthāsāroddhāra. 4. कन्दर्पा देवीं गौरवर्णामश्ववाहनां चतुर्भुजां Nirvanak alika (MSS, Jñāna mandir, Agra).

Loading...

Page Navigation
1 ... 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 246 247